Oarfish
Obelia
Ocelot
Ochro
Octobothrium
Octopus
Oesophagus
Okapi
Okra
Okro
Oleaceae
Oleander
Oleaster
Oligochaeta
Oligotricha
Olive
Olm
Ombu
Omnivore
Oncidium
Onion
Onychophora
Opalina
Ophidia
Ophiothrix
Ophiura
Ophiuroidea
Opossum
Orang utan
Orange
Orangutan
Orchid
Orfe
Oribi
Ortolan
Oryx
Osiers
Osprey
Osteichthyes
Ostracoda
Ostrich
Otter
Ousel
Ovaries
Ovary
Oven-bird
Ovibos moschatus
Ovis cervina
Owl
Ox
Oxpecker
Oyster
Oyster catcher
Oyster plant
Paca
Pachycephalosaurus
Paguridae
Paigle
Palaeonisciformes
Palamedea
Paliurus
Pallah
Pallas cat
Palm
Palm-kale
Palmaceae
Palmelleae
Palmer Worm
Palmyra Palm
Panda
Pangolin
Pansy
Papaver
Papyrus
Parakeet
Paramecium
Paridae
Parr
Parrot
Parsley
Parsnip
Partridge
Passion flower
Passion fruit
Pea
Peach
Peacock
Peanut
Pear
Pecan
Peccary
Pedicellina
Pekan
Pekingese
Pelecaniformes
Pelican
Penguin
Penguins
Penicillin
Pennatula
Pepper
Peppermint
Perch
Percheron
Perennial
Perissodactyla
Peritricha
Periwinkle
Petrel
Phaethontidae
Phalarope
Pharynx
Pheasant
Pheasant's Eye
Phoronis
Phyllostomatidae
Phylloxera
Phylum annelida
Phylum arthropoda
Phylum brachiopoda
Phylum chaetognatha
Phylum chordata
Phylum echinodermata
Phylum mollusca
Phylum nematoda
The oarfish are any of a family Regalecidae of deep-sea bony fishes, found in warm parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Oarfish are large, up to 9m long, elongated, and compressed, with a fin along the back and a manelike crest behind the head. They have a small mouth, no teeth or scales, and large eyes. They are often reported as sea serpents.
Obelia is a member of the order of calyptoblastea.
The ocelot is a wild cat found in central and south America.
see "Abelmoschus"
Octobothrium is a member of the order monogenea.
The octopus is a cephalopod with eight arms.
The oesophagus is the region of the alimentary canal following the pharynx. The walls of the oesophagus are muscular and force food along by contractions.
The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a ruminant of the giraffe family, although with much shorter legs and neck, found in the tropical rainforests of central Africa. Purplish brown with a creamy face and black and white stripes on the legs and hindquarters, it is excellently camouflaged. Okapis have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years.
see "Abelmoschus"
see "Abelmoschus"
Oleaceae is a natural order of monopetalous exogenous plants. They are shrubs or trees with opposite, simple or compound leaves and small flowers.
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a poisonous shrub of the dogbane family native to southern Europe and Asia. It has evergreen leaves and showy clusters of pink, red or white flowers.
Oleaster is a group of hardy, deciduous and evergreen shrubs. They were introduced into Britain in 1633 from China and Japan, and the deciduous variety from America.
The oligochaeta are the earthworm class of annelids, although some are freshwater rather than terrestial. They lay eggs in cocoons.
Oligotricha is an order of ciliata vera. They are free-living, parasitic ciliates with the cilia restricted to certain areas of the cell-body.
The olive is an evergreen tree native to Asia.
The olm is a cave-dwelling aquatic salamander, the only European member of the family Proteidae, the other members being the North American mudpuppies. Olms are found in underground caves along the Adriatic seaboard in Italy, Croatia, and Yugoslavia. The adult is permanently larval in form, about 25cm long, almost blind, with external gills and under-developed limbs.
The ombu (Phytolacca dioica) is a South American tree with a thick trunk and evergreen leaves.
An omnivore is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter.
Oncidium is a genus of tropical American orchid, the "dancing lady orchid".
The onion (Allium cepa) is a perennial herb of the order Liliaceae. It has an edible brown bulb which is much used in cooking and has been for thousands of years.
Onychophora is a terrestial class of arthropod. They have a thin cuticle. The head is composed of three segments with one pair of jaws.
Opalina is a member of the order of holotricha.
The ophidia are a suborder of squamata. These are the snakes. They are long and slender due to an elongation of the body. Limbs are absent, and limb girdle traces are usually absent. The mouth is very extensible.
Ophiothrix is an ophiuroidea.
Ophiura is an ophiuroidea.
The ophiuroidea are a subclass of stelleroidea. They are the brittle stars. They have a flattened body clearly marked into two regions; the disc and the arms. Tube feet extend from the under surface of the arms, but the groove is closed to form a tube. Locomotion is chiefly by muscular movement of the arms assisted by the feet.
The opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is a prehensile-tailed marsupial found in east North America. It is noted for feigning death when it feels threatened.
The orang utan is an anthropoid ape found in borneo and sumatra.
The orange is a globose, reddish-yellow bitter or sweet edible citrus fruit of the orange tree (Citrus aurantium).
The orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a large, long-armed anthropoid ape inhabiting the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. The name means "man of the forest" in Malay.
Orchid is the popular name for any plant of the family Orchidaceae. They are found in temperate and tropical regions and have showy flowers.
The orfe is a fish of the carp family.
The oribi are a few species of small fawn-coloured African antelopes with short, spike-like horns and standing about 60 cm tall.
The ortolan is a songbird of the bunting family, common in Europe and west Asia, migrating to Africa in the winter. Long considered a delicacy among gourmets, it has become rare and is now a protected species.
The oryx is a large antelope found in African deserts. They are about the size of donkeys, and both sexes carry long horns which are slightly curved in the Sudan oryx, and straight in the other species.
Osiers is a species of willow grown for basket-making.
The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), also known as the fish hawk, is a large hawk that feeds on fish.
Osteichthyes is a subclass of fishes. These are the bony fishes. The endoskeleton is of bone. The exoskeleton is comprised of bony scales. The mouth is terminal and the external nostrils lie on the dorsal surface of the snout.
Ostracoda is a subclass of small crustaceans with a bivalved carapace and reduced trunk and abdominal limbs.
The ostrich is a member of the order Struthioniformes. It is the largest bird in existence. It has rudimentary wings and is incapable of flight. It has strong legs and can run fast for long distances.
Otter is a popular name for any of several species of aquatic, furry, weasel-like carnivorous mammals of the genus Lutra. They have webbed feet and a long slightly flattened tail.
Ousel was an ancient name for the blackbird, it is now the name of several birds found in Europe and the Americas.
see "ovary"
The ovary is a female gonad.
The oven-bird is a small, South American insectivorous bird so called from its nest which is made of mud and straw in any exposed location and completely closed except for a small entrance which leads into a passage half separated by a partition from the main chamber where the eggs are laid.
see "Musk-ox"
see "Bighorn"
The owl is a nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, sub-order Striges.
The ox is a genus of ruminant mammal.
The oxpecker is an African bird, of the genus Buphagus, of the starling family. It clambers about the bodies of large mammals, feeding on ticks and other parasites. It may help to warn the host of approaching dangers.
The oyster is a bivalve mollusc constituting the Ostreidae, or true oyster, family, having the upper valve flat, the lower concave, hinged by an elastic ligament. The mantle, lying against the shell, protects the inner body, which includes respiratory, digestive, and reproductive organs. Oysters commonly change their sex annually or more frequently; females may discharge up to a million eggs during a spawning period.
The oyster catcher is a chunky shorebird of the family Haematopodidae, with a laterally flattened, heavy bill that can pry open mollusc shells. The black and white American oyster catcher Haematopus palliatus is found on the Atlantic and south Pacific coasts.
see "Salsify"
The paca is a large, nocturnal, burrowing rodent found in central America.
Pachycephalosaurus was a herd living dinosaur with a 25cm thick bone on top of its skull which could have been used for defence against predators. It lived during the cretaceous period.
see "Hermit-crab"
see "Cowslip"
The palaeonisciformes is an order of actinopterygii. They are carnivorous and have a single large dorsal fin.
Palamedea is a genus of South American birds.
Paliurus is a genus of deciduous shrubs which are natives to southern Europe and Asia Minor belonging to the natural order Rhamnaceae.
The pallah (Aepyceros melampus) is a species of South African antelope.
The Pallas cat (Felis manul, manul, steppe cat) is an Asian wild cat living in rocky areas from the eastern border of the Caspian Sea to Tibet and Mongolia. It is about the size of domestic cat with soft, long, and thick fur which is whitish grey or light yellowish with black spots on the crown and black stripes on the rump. It eats small mammals and birds.
A palm is a tree of the palmaceae family. They are found mainly in tropical countries. They usually have a an upright, unbranched stem and a head of large fan-shaped leaves.
Palm-kale is a variety of cabbage which grows to around 3-4 meters tall.
see "Palm"
Palmelleae is a natural order of green-spored algae, amongst the lowest of plants and including the red snow and gory dew.
Palmer Worm is a popular name for the hairy caterpillar of the tiger-moth.
The Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabelliformis) is the common Indian palm, a tree found in the Middle East and India. When fully grown it reaches a height of 20 meters.
The panda is one of two carnivores of different families, native to north west China and Tibet. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has black-and-white fur with black eye patches and feeds mainly on bamboo shoots, consuming about 8 kg of bamboo per day. It can grow up to 1.5m long, and weigh up to 140kg. The lesser, or red, panda (Ailurus fulgens) is of the raccoon family, and is about 50cm long and is coloured black and chestnut, with a long tail.
The pangolin or scaly anteater is a large mammal of the genus Manis, order Pholidota found in tropical Asia and Africa.
The pansy is a perennial garden flower.
see "Poppy"
Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) is a tall aquatic plant of the sedge family native to the Nile valley in Egypt.
The parakeet is any of numerous small, slender parrots, usually having a long, pointed graduated tail. They are noted for their ability to mimic speech.
Paramecium is a member of the order holotricha. It is a simple single cell animal common in fresh water where there are decaying vegetable remains.
Paridae is the tit (titmice) family of minute perching birds. They are small, very active and have a short, sharp beak.
A parr is a young salmon with transverse bands living in a river and under two years old.
Parrot refers to any bird of the order Psittaciformes, abundant in the tropics, especially in Australia and South America. They are mainly vegetarian, and range in size from the 8.5cm pygmy parrot to the 100cm Amazon parrot. The smaller species are commonly referred to as parakeets. The plumage is often very colorful, and the call is usually a harsh screech. Parrots all have hooked bills and feet adapted for tree climbing.
Parsley is a biennial herb.
The parsnip is a biennial umbelliferae.
The partridge is any of various medium-sized ground-dwelling fowl of the family Phasianidae, which also includes pheasants, quail, and chickens. Partridges are Old World birds, some of which have become naturalised in North America, especially the European grey partridge (Perdix perdix), with mottled brown back, grey speckled breast, and patches of chestnut on the sides.
The Passion flower is a chiefly American climbing vine or shrub of the genus Passiflora. They have showy flowers and a pulpy fruit which in some species is edible.
Passion fruit is the name given to the edible fruit of the Passion flower.
The pea is a climbing plant of the family leguminosae.
The peach is a tree of the family rosaceae.
A peacock is technically the male of any of various large pheasants. The name is most often used for the common peacock (Pavo cristatus), a bird of the pheasant family, native to southern Asia. It is rather larger than a pheasant. The male has a large fan-shaped tail, brightly colored with blue, green, and purple "eyes" on a chestnut background. The female (peahen) is brown with a small tail.
The peanut (ground-nut, Arachis hypogoea) is a leguminous annual plant with a hairy stem and abruptly pinnate leaflets. The nut is situated at the end of a stalk of some length, and is ripened under ground, this stalk having the peculiarity of flowering and then bending down and pushing the fruit into the earth. Peanuts are extensively cultivated in tropical countries.
The pear (Pyrus communis) is a tree of the family rosaceae.
The pecan is a nut producing tree.
The peccary is one of two species of the New World genus Tayassu of piglike hoofed mammals. A peccary has a gland in the middle of the back which secretes a strong-smelling substance. Peccaries are blackish in colour, covered with bristles, and have tusks that point downward. Adults reach a height of 40cm and a weight of 25kg.
Pedicellina is an entoprocta.
The pekan (fisher marten) is a North American marten (Martes penanti). It is about 1.2m long, with a doglike face, and brown fur with white patches on the chest. It eats porcupines.
The pekingese is a breed of small long-haired dog first bred at the Chinese court as the "imperial lion dog". It has a flat skull and flat face, is typically less than 25cm tall, and weighs less than 5kg.
The first specimens brought to the West were those taken during the Opium Wars when the Summer Palace in Beijing was looted in 1860.
The Pelecaniformes are an order of birds. These are the pelicans. There are six distinct families. The foot is comprised of 4 toes connected by webs.
The pelican is any of a family (Pelecanidae) of large, heavy water birds remarkable for the pouch beneath the bill which is used as a fishing net and temporary store for catches of fish. Some species grow up to 1.8m and have wingspans of 3m.
Penguins are any of an order (Sphenisciformes) of marine flightless birds, mostly black and white, found in the southern hemisphere. They range in size from 40cm to 1.2m tall, and have thick feathers to protect them from the intense cold. They are awkward on land, but their wings have evolved into flippers, making them excellent swimmers. Penguins congregate to breed in "rookeries", and often spend many months incubating their eggs while their mates are out at sea feeding.
see "Penguin"
Penicillin is an antibiotic fungus.
Pennatula is a member of the order alcyonaria.
Pepper is a plant of the genus capsicum.
Peppermint is a perennial herb.
The perch is any of the largest order of spiny-finned bony fishes, the Perciformes, with some 8,000 species. This order includes the sea basses, cichlids, damselfishes, mullets, barracudas, wrasses, and gobies. Perches of the freshwater genus Perca are found in Europe, Asia, and North America. They have varied shapes and are usually a greenish color. They are very prolific, spawning when about three years old, and have voracious appetites.
The percheron is a breed of strong and swift horse originaly bred in the Le Perche district of north France.
A perennial plant is one that lives for more than 2 years.
Perissodactyla is an order of eutheria. They are odd toed ungulates. Horses, tapirs and rhinoceroses. They eat vegetables and have a large caecum. The Stomach is simple.
Peritricha is an order of ciliata vera. They have a cone-shaped cell-body on a highly contractile stalk and a spiral of cilia leading to the cytostome.
In zoology, the periwinkle is any marine snail of the family Littorinidae, found on the shores of Europe and eastern North America. Periwinkles have a conical spiral shell, and feed on algae.
The petrel is any of various families of seabirds, including the worldwide storm petrels (family Procellariidae), which include the smallest seabirds, and the diving petrels (family Pelecanoididae) of the southern hemisphere, which feed by diving underwater and are characterized by having nostril tubes. They include fulmars and shearwaters.
The Phaethontidae is a family of the Pelecaniformes. These are the tropicbirds. They are the smallest member of the order. There are 3 species. They are about 2 feet long. They have 2 long central tail feathers.
Phalarope is any of a genus Phalaropus of small, elegant shorebirds in the sandpiper family (Scolopacidae). They have the habit of spinning in the water to stir up insect larvae. They are native to North America, Britain, and the polar regions of Europe. The male phalarope is courted by the female and hatches the eggs. The female is always larger and more colourful. The red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus, grey Phalaropus fulicarius, and Wilson's phalarope Phalaropus tricolour can be found in North America.
The pharynx is a region of the alimentary canal following the buccal cavity.
The pheasant is a ground nesting bird.
see "Adonis"
Phoronis is a phylum phoronida.
see "Vampire Bat"
Phylloxera is any of a family (Phylloxeridae) of small plant-sucking insects (order Homoptera) that attack the leaves and roots of some plants. The species Phylloxera vitifolia, a native of North America, attacks grapevines, laying its eggs under the bark.
The phylum annelida are the segmented worms. They are triploblastic, metamerically segmented, coelomate metazoa. The body wall is covered by a glandular epidermis and comprised of longitudinal and circular muscles.
Phylum arthropoda is the arthropod group of animals which includes; crayfish, lobsters, spiders, insects etc. They are metamerically segmented and bilaterally symmetrical animals. Typically, each segment has a pair of jointed appendages and at least one pair is modified as jaws.
The phylum brachiopoda are the lamp shells. They are triploblastic animals enclosed in a dorsal and a ventral shell. The anterior part of the body bears a horsheoe-shaped ridge covered in ciliated tentacles. The coelom is extensive and continued into the folds of the body wall below the shell and into the tentacles. A simple vascular system is present.
The phylum chaetognatha are the arrow worms. They are relatively simple triploblastic animals. The body is elongated and transparent. The gut is just a straight tube. The body has three regions; head, trunk and tail. The head bears a hood and rows of chitinous hooks. There is no blood vascular system. Eyes are usually present. The male gonads are in the tail, the female ovaries in the trunk.
The phylum chordata are a group of animals with a notochord present. The central nervous system is dorsal, hollow and tubular. They have a ventral heart and visceral clefts present in the pharynx.
The phylum echinodermata are starfishes, sea urchins, brittle stars and sea cucumbers. They are triploblastic coelomate marine animals. A calcareous skeleton is developed in the mesoderm. The coelom is divided into separte compartments which each carry out different functions.
Phylum mollusca is the mollusc group of animals. They are coelomate animals which do not show segmentation. The body is comprised of a head, foot and visceral mass. The skin of the viscreal mass is extended into soft folds which form the mantle which often secretes a shell. The respiratory organs are usually a pair of ctenidia.
Phylum nematoda are the roundworms. They are triploblastic animals with elongated, spindle-shaped bodies. A respiratory and blood vascular system are both lacking. The epidermis secretes a tough cuticle. Cilia are lacking. The roundworms are to be found everywhere that life can be supported.